Dr. Roger Bales, Founding Professor of Engineering at UC Merced,, has been active in water- and climate-related research for
over 30 years. His degrees include a B.S. in Civil Engineering (Purdue), M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering
(UC Berkeley), M.S. in Social Science/Economics (Caltech) and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering Science (Caltech). Dr.
Bales’ scholarship includes over 140 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and many more presentations, reports and book chapters.
He is a fellow in the American Geophysical Union, the American Meteorological Society, and the American Association for the
Advancement of Science. He has published well-cited papers in multiple disciplines, including hydrology, glaciology,
paleoclimate, atmospheric chemistry, geochemistry and environmental engineering. His current work is contributing to
California’s efforts to both build the knowledge base and implement policies that adapt our water supplies, critical
ecosystems and economy to the impacts of climate warming. He works with leaders in state agencies, elected officials,
federal land managers, water leaders, non-governmental organizations, and other decisionmakers on developing climate
solutions for California. He has led several multi-investigator, multi-disciplinary research programs, at UC Merced since
2003, and prior to that at the University of Arizona. He has been active in climate applications both regionally and
nationally. He has led development of regional, national and international measurement programs that are critical for
understanding climate change and contributing to climate solutions. He has also served on multiple advisory committees,
is active in the region, and has a long record of service to the university. Dr. Bales is also an Adjunct Professor at
UC Berkeley, and a researcher in the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS).
For further information, please see an extended curriculum vita.